By Megan Deppe
As the year draws to a close, you’re probably getting excited to make big changes for 2018. You’re compiling New Year’s resolutions, stocking up on healthy foods, and maybe even planning a huge life change, like moving to a new state or starting a new job. Sometimes going through major changes can be scary and you look for ways to keep up your spirits while you’re making them. What better way to inspire yourself and get a burst of confidence than by belting out one of these uplifting Disney songs?
“On My Way”—Brother Bear
There are very few Disney films that embody the spirit of change and moving forward the way that Brother Bear does, and the theme song for Kenai and Koda’s journey is a great tune to carry you through this year. “On My Way” provides an air of excitement for the journey you take and reminds you that holding your head high is always a good resolution!
Inspiring Lyric:
“Not the snow, not the rain can change my mind
The sun will come out, wait and see
And the feeling of the wind in your face can lift your heart
Oh there’s nowhere I would rather be”
“He Lives in You”—The Lion King (Broadway) / The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride
This is an excellent song to inspire you to lean on the people who “live in you” and stand behind you; or you can also think about the force within that will guide you through your biggest challenges. Either way, this song is perfect for a new year.
Inspiring Lyric:
“Wait, there’s no mountain too great
Hear these words and have faith
Have faith”
“Go the Distance”—Hercules
No list of inspiring songs would be complete without this number from a character who goes on quite a journey. When you make a change in your life, it’s easy to feel like you don’t quite belong at first, or that you’re still searching for something. “Go the Distance” is the perfect song to belt out in the car at moments like this, and remind yourself that you can—and will—do whatever it takes to achieve what you have set your mind to this year.
Inspiring Lyric:
“I am on my way
I can go the distance
I don’t care how far
Somehow I’ll be strong
I know every mile will be worth my while”
“Anything Can Happen”—Mary Poppins (Broadway)
“Anything Can Happen” to you this year, as long as you open yourself up to it. When you’re on the verge of making that big life change, it’s important to remember how many opportunities are available to you and how limitless your possibilities are. Always trust Mary Poppins—remember, she’s “practically perfect.”
Inspiring Lyric:
“Anything can happen if you let it
Life is out there waiting, so go and get it
Grab it by the collar
Seize it by the scruff
Once you’ve started living life you just can’t get enough”
“Home”—Beauty and the Beast (Broadway)
When you make your New Year’s resolution, you have to prepare for it to be hard—the best resolutions usually are. Belle sings “Home” when she recognizes that she can’t reverse time, she can only move forward—and that’s advice as old as time.
Inspiring Lyric:
What I’d give to return to the life that I knew lately
But I know that I can’t solve my problems going back”
“Circle of Life”—The Lion King
This awe-inspiring opening number reminds us that there is such a wide world out there, and everything we do in our lives is part of that circle. The lyrics to “Circle of Life” are perfect to sum up your new challenges, look to the future, and maybe even inspire you to add to your resolution by “doing more than can be done.”
Inspiring Lyric:
“There is more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done…
There’s far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found”
“Out There”—The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Quasimodo’s ballad might inspire you to be ready to explore and take in all of the beauty of a whole new world (sorry, wrong song)—and it also reminds us of what a privilege it is to be exploring all.
Inspiring Lyric:
“And out there living in the sun
Give me one day out there, all I ask is one
To hold forever
Out there where they all live unaware
What I’d give, what I’d dare
Just to live one day out there”
“A World Without Fences”—Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventure
“A World Without Fences” focuses on Lady and Tramp’s son, Scamp, who dreams of being free to explore and be himself. It’s the perfect song to inspire you to break through any walls that you feel might be holding you back.
Inspiring Lyric:
“No walls and no boundaries
Where I can be free
A world without walls and fences
That’s exactly where I want to be”
“Always There”—Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventure
“Always There” is the perfect reminder that sometimes making a large change can be scary and lonely, and there’s nothing wrong with needing to call your Mom and Dad. They may be able to provide just the push you need to make your New Year’s resolution a reality.
Inspiring Lyric:
“Always there to catch you when you’re falling
Always there to stand you up again…
With endless love to share
Love that will follow you everywhere”
“How Far I’ll Go”—Moana
As one of Disney’s newest shout-from-rooftops musical numbers, “How Far I’ll Go” is a great song to kick off a drive to a new school or a cross-country road trip. It fully encompasses the idea of adventure, of not knowing what lies in store—and the excitement to meet that challenge anyway.
Inspiring Lyric:
“If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
One day, I’ll know
If I go, there’s just no telling how far I’ll go”
“When Will My Life Begin (Reprise 2)–Tangled
This beloved song’s reprise comes at the moment when Rapunzel chooses to leave her tower—a big life change, if ever there were one, and one that is both frightening and wonderful.
Inspiring Lyric:
“Look at the world
So close, and I’m halfway to it
Look at it all, so big
Do I even dare?
Look at me, there at last
I just have to do it”
“Try Everything”—Zootopia
In Zootopia, “Try Everything” serves as Judy Hopps’ soundtrack while she watches everything she has ever known change right before her eyes. Doesn’t everyone wish that all big life changes could transpire like a stirring musical montage?
Inspiring Lyric:
“I won’t give up, no, I won’t give in
Til I reach the end
And then I’ll start again…
I want to try everything
I want to try even though I could fail”
“Let It Go”—Frozen
You may not be able to create an ice palace, but if you listen to the words of “Let It Go,” you just might gain the courage to do what you once told yourself was impossible. What better way to start off the New Year than by “letting go” of the past?
Inspiring Lyric:
“It’s time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I’m free”
